The need to examine the injured or non-injured neck of a person in the well known “flexion and extension positions” during the taking of conventional x-ray is critical when looking for ligament damage, subluxation and fractures of the neck. At a matter of fact, these two positions are vital in accurately investigating these abnormalities.
For decades now the flexion and extension positions of a neck have only been performed while a person is sitting or standing and from the side of the neck by only conventional x-rays (not CAT scan, MRI scan, etc.).
Traumatized neck injured patients are not allowed to sit or stand until an extensive examination is performed of the neck and clear of injury and the person is free of pain. The possibility of ligamentous injury causing instability in the absence of fractures of the vertebrae can only be reliably excluded with the flexion position and extension lateral positions of the neck using conventional x-rays.
Since these two positions of the neck give physicians greatly needed information, it is vital that the capability of performing these positions when the person is resting supine on a medical examining table.
Although CAT scans, MRI scans and PET scans are able to view internal anatomy of a person from more angles and gather more information of all body parts over conventional x-rays, these modalities take their pictures with a person resting supine, not sitting or standing.
Positioning the neck of a person lying supine in the flexion position and extension position will prove to be extremely useful to physicians in investigating injuries and abnormalities during a CAT scan, MRI scan, PET scan as well as conventional x-rays.
Head, face and neck holding devices in X-ray, CAT scan and MRI scan are well known as set forth in the prior art patents such as: U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,820; U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,758; U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,814 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,736, U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,678; U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,777; U.S. Pat. No. 3,302,021. These prior art methods are out dated and unadaptable to the current technologies and needs of Medicine today and tomorrow!